Electronic spirit level for measurement of inclination-execution of electric resistors and conductors

ABSTRACT

Electronic spirit level for measurement of inclination from 0 to 360 degrees. Upon the housing in form of a circular tube, curved in a ring and partially filled with electrically conducting liquid, electrically separated plates of capacitors are placed along the whole length. Because of the difference in relative dielectric constant between air and liquid it can be precisely ascertained, by successive measurements in all condensers, where at the moment the air bubble is placed. The position of the air bubble is recorded in form of a number on a screen. Into a tube along the whole circumference a resistor in the form of a wire is placed which is wound in a spiral shape, where the step of coil is uniformly increasing or multi-layer resistor of the wire, where the cross-section is uniformly changing. By using very thin wires, the resistors are divided in two or several segments. In the tube along the entire circumference of the ring the resistors are placed having a single coil or contact which includes only a part of the winding, being mutually electrically separated and placed at a determined angular degree, the contacts or resistors are each separately connected to the measurement instrument. With successive measurement of resistance or contacts the position of the air bubble can be precisely ascertained.

The scope of the invention is an electronic spirit level for measurementof inclination from 0 to 360 degrees and different placements ofelectrical resistance and conductors within the housing of theelectronic level. It is purposed for general use in construction,engineering, households etc. and for special purposes, where highaccuracy is required as in laboratories, military equipment etc.

This Invention Solves Two Problems

Problem 1

Measurement of all inclination angles from 0 to 360 degrees should bepossible.

Problem 2

In different domains of use a different measurement of inclination isrequired. What is needed are different types and forms of resistors andconductors, their different placements within the housing and differentrequirements to reduce the mistakes at measurement.

The Hitherto Known Solutions for the Listed Problems

Known is the following Application of patent dealing and thus: Priorityapplication SI, P-9900196, filed Aug. 13, 1999, and internationalapplication PCT/SI 00/ 00018, filed Jul. 26, 2000.

In a circular tube being bent into a round ring and only partiallyfilled with electrically conducting liquid along the entire perimeter aresistor is placed in the form of a wire with an equally varyingsectional area. Therefore the resistance of the system depends upon theposition of the air bubble. The resistance is measured and calculatedinto angular degrees and displayed upon the screen. By that the housingcan be more or less filled with liquid. On the outer side the coils canbe placed tightly one beside the other, where each of the coils isseparately connected to the measuring instrument. When the alternatingelectric voltage is connected upon the wire in the inside, electricvoltage in all coils shall be induced. Where the air bubble is placedthe induced voltage in the coils is also different. By successivemeasurements in all coils it can be precisely ascertained where at themoment the air bubble is situated. The air bubble and the inner wire canbe substituted by a small metallic ball.

Solving of the Problems 1 and 2.

The measurement of inclination angle is performed with aid of anelectronic instrument. Very accurate value is displayed upon the screenin form of digits. The solution is possible in nine manners.

1. The housing formed as a circular tube curved in a circular ring ispartially filled with liquid. On the outer side of the housingelectrically separated plates of capacitor are placed along the wholelength of the round circle. Every capacitor is separately connected tothe measuring instrument and placed on the exact angular degree. Becauseof the difference in relative dielectric constant between air and liquidit can be precisely ascertained, by successive measurements in allcapacitors, where at the moment the air bubble is placed. The air bubblecan be short or long and the housing can be formed as a circular ring ora circular cylindrical vessel.

2. The housing as a circular tube, curved in a ring is partially filledwith electrically conducting liquid. Within the housing, resistance inthe form of a wire is placed on the wall of the circular tube In thedirection of the tube cross-section. The wire is in a form of one coil.The resistors are placed in defined angular degrees along the whole ringand are mutually electrically separated, having equal electricresistance. Each coil is separately connected to the measuringinstrument. If all these resistors are connected to alternate or directelectric voltage, it is possible with consecutive measurement ofresistance in all resistors to accurately determine in which resistorsthe current flows through the electrically conducting liquid and inwhich it flows through the resistors which are in the air in an airbubble. In this way it can be precisely ascertained where at the momentthe air bubble is situated With interpolation of the beginning and theend of the air bubble calculation can be performed exactly, where thereis the middle of the air bubble and with it the angle of inclination.

3. The housing as a circular tube, curved in a ring is partially filledwith electrically conducting liquid. Within the housing, electricalcontact in form of a wire is placed on the wall of the circular tube inthe direction of the tube cross section. Electrical contact includesonly a part of the circumference of the tube cross-section. The contactsare placed at determined angular degrees along the whole ring and aremutually electrically separated.—Every contact is separately connectedto the measuring instrument Electrically conducting liquid can beconnected with the source of electric energy with one or more contacts.All the contacts that are tied to the measuring instrument get connectedon one pole, where as the electrically conducting spirit gets connectedto the other pole. Over the wetted contacts in the electricallyconducting liquid current flows over the contact which are in an airbubble or it does not. In this way it can be precisely ascertained whereat the moment the air bubble is situated.

4. The housing as a circular tube, curved in a ring is partially filledwith electrically conducting liquid. In the housing upon the walls ofthe tube along the whole circumference a resistor is placed in form ofwire, wound in a spiral where the distance between each winding isuniformly increasing. In the entire spiral no two lengths between thewindings are the same. The coils are placed in the direction of the tubecross-section. The initial coils are mutually electrically separated.Electric voltage is connected to the spiral and with correspondinginstrument the actual resistance of this system can be measured. Throughone part of its path the current is flowing through the electricallyconducting liquid, but where an air bubble is located it is flowing onlythrough the spiral. Because the number of windings is changing along thelength, the resistance of the part of wire being within the air bubbledepends upon the place where the air bubble is situated. The value ofthe entire system of resistance can be accurately measured and displayedupon the screen.

5. The housing as a circular tube, curved in a ring is partially filledwith electrically conducting liquid. In the housing along its wholecircumference a resistor is placed in form of a wire, wound in spiral,where the distance between each winding is uniformly increasing. In theentire spiral no two lengths between the windings are the same. Thespiral is wound upon a round core, which is placed in the axle of thering.

6. The housing as a circular tube, curved in a ring is partially filledwith electrically conducting liquid. Within the housing, along the wholeperimeter, resistance in the form of a metal strip is placed on the wallof the circular tube evenly changing its sectional area. The resistor iscomposed of two or several layers of wires being placed one uponanother, so that there is contact between the flat surfaces, where thewidth is uniformly changing. The thickness of the wire is constant. Thestrips are mutually electrically separated, so that the flat surfaces intouch are insulated, but lateral edges along the whole thickness are notinsulated. So it is enabled that all the layers being wetted are indirect contact with electrically conducting liquid. If on the wireselectric voltage is connected the current flows a part of its paththrough electrically conducting liquid, but where there is an air bubblethrough each of the wire layers separately.

The housing as a circular tube, curved in a ring or cylindrical vesselis exactly half filled with electrically conducting liquid. There is aresistor within the housing, which is composed of 2 or more round metalstrip. The thickness, therefore the cross-area of the wires remainsconstant. All the metal strips join into one point, which then serves asan electrical contact and is outside the housing. The strips are placedon the periphery of the housing, on the wall of the housing, parallel toeach other, and mutually electrically separated. The resistor takes uponly ½ of the circumference of the round ring and is divided into 2 ormore segments. Each of the segments is separately connected to thevoltage and a measuring instrument. If measuring angles which aresmaller then 360 degrees the resistor can take up less then ½ of thecircumference of the round ring. Small angles require only one segment.

7. The housing as a circular tube, curved in a ring is partially filledwith electrically conducting liquid. In the housing on the wall of thetube, along the whole circumference a resistor is placed in the form ofa wire, wound in spiral, where the distance between each winding isuniformly increasing. When the diameters of the wire are extremelysmall, for example smaller than 0.01 mm., because of the large number ofcoils of spiral the resistance is increasing. The measurement of suchbig values is difficult The spiral which includes the wholecircumference of the ring is divided in two or several mutuallyseparated segments. Each segment is separately connected to themeasuring instrument, In this manner high resistance is divided intosmaller values.

The housing as a circular tube, curved in round ring is exactly halffilled with electrically conducting liquid. In the housing on the wallof the tube, along the whole circumference a resistor is placed in theform of a wire, wound in spiral, where the distance between each windingremains constants The distance between coils is the same. The spiraltakes up only ½ of the circumference of the housing. It is divided into2 or more segments, each of the segments is separately connected to thevoltage and a measuring instrument If measuring angles smaller then 360degrees the spiral can take up less then ½ of the circumference of thehousing. For smaller angles only one segment is required.

8. The housing as a circular tube, curved in a ring is partially filledwith electrically conducting liquid. The air bubble is short includingonly some angular degrees. In the housing upon the wall of the tube,along the whole circumference a resistor is placed in the form of a wirewound in spiral, where the distance between each winding is uniformlyincreasing . In the entire spiral no two lengths between the windingsare the same. Between the first and the last coil of the resistor thereis an electrically separated resistor which is placed upon the wall ofthe tube as well and can include one or several coils. Both resistorsare separately connected to the measuring instrument. When the positionof inclination is such that simultaneously the beginning and the end ofthe resistor are in the air bubble, the measured value of resistancebelongs to entirely different inclinations.

The resistor which is placed between the first and the last coil, isalso in the air bubble. Because the resistor is separately connected tothe measuring instrument it can be precisely ascertained which measuredresistance belongs to which inclination.

9. The housing as a circular tube, curved in a ring is partially filledwith electrically conducting liquid. In the housing upon the wall oftube the electrical conductors are placed along whole circumference.They are composed of several layers of flat metal strip being put uponeach other. The strips are mutually electrically separated so that theflat surfaces which are touching each other are insulated, but the edgesare not The conductors are placed along the whole perimeter of the tubecross-section and are electrically separated. The conductors have equalsectional area along its whole length. The whole circle is covered withcoils, being placed close one to the other or even partially coveringeach other. The coil is placed so that the axle of a coil isperpendicular to the tangent of the wire.

An advantage of all cited solutions is, besides of the accuratemeasurement and reading, not depending on the visual ability of the userin this that they enable the measurements of inclination from 0 to 360degrees.

The accuracy of the measurement depends on the making of the housing,resistors respectively conductors and of the quality of the liquid. Foraccurate measurement the inside of the housing must be as smooth aspossible. The resistors which are tightly adapted to the wall of thehousing must be as thin as possible, so that they influence thesmoothness of the surface less and that it enables as dense as possiblewinding of the spiral respectively with multi-layer resistors biggerchange of resistance with the change of the cross-section. The liquidmust be optimally electrically conductive, optimally viscous so that itcan as good as possible glide along the housing and resistor and that itreacts well to the smallest change of inclination and that it hasoptimal capillary wetting ability diminished also when the air bubble inhousing is under increased pressure. By some executions a thermal sensoris required, which is a connection to the measurement instrument.Measurement instrument considers the changes at measurement which are aconsequence of thermal dilatation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of one embodiment of the measurement device ofthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of one embodiment of the measurement device ofthe present invention;

FIG. 3 is a front view of one embodiment of the measurement device ofthe present invention;

FIG. 4 is a front view of one embodiment of the measurement device ofthe present invention;

FIG. 5 is a front view of one embodiment of the measurement device ofthe present invention;

FIG. 6 is a front view of one embodiment of the measurement device ofthe present invention;

FIG. 7 is a front view of one embodiment of the measurement device ofthe present invention;

FIG. 8 is a front view of one embodiment of the measurement device ofthe present invention;

FIG. 9 is a front view of one embodiment of the measurement device ofthe present invention.

DESIGNING SOLUTIONS

The designing solutions are shown upon nine cases of execution.

The Execution Case No. 1 is Shown Upon the FIG. 1

The housing (1) as a circular tube, curved in a ring is partially filledwith liquid (2). On the outer side upon the housing (1) the plates ofcapacitor (10) are placed along the whole round circle and areelectrically separated. Each capacitor (11) is separately connected tothe measuring instrument Because of the difference in relativedielectric constant between the air bubble (3) and liquid (2) it can beprecisely ascertained, by successive measurements in all condensers,where at the moment the air bubble is placed. The terminals or the wire(5,6) are connected to the voltage and measuring instrument.

The Execution Case No. 2 is Shown Upon the FIG. 2

The housing (1) as a circular tube, curved in a ring is partially filledwith electrically conducting liquid (2). Within the housing (1),resistance in the form of a wire (4) is placed on the wall of thecircular tube in the direction of the tube cross-section. The resistors(4) are placed upon determined angular degrees along the whole ring andthey are mutually electrically separated and have equal electricalresistance. Each coil is separately connected to the measuringinstrument. If all the resistance (4) is connected to the alternating orone-way voltage, it can be precisely ascertained, by successivemeasurements of the resistance in all resistors, where at the moment theair bubble (3) is placed, The terminals or the wire (5,6) are connectedto the voltage and measuring instrument.

The Execution Case No. 3 is Shown Upon the FIG. 3

The housing (1) as a circular tube, curved in a ring is partially filledwith electrically conducting liquid (2). Within the housing (1),electrical contact in the form of a wire (12) is placed on the wall ofthe circular tube in the direction of the tube cross-section. Electricalcontact (12) covers only a part of the circumference of the tubecross-section The contacts (12) are placed at determined angular degreesalong the whole ring and are mutually electrically separated. Everyelectrical contact is separately connected to the measuring instrument.Electrically conducting liquid (2) is connected to the source ofelectric energy with one or more contacts (13) and one of the contacts(13) is always in direct contact with liquid (2). Contacts (13) aretightly attached to the wall of the tube. All the contacts (12) areconnected to the measuring instrument All the contacts (12), connectedto the measuring instrument, are now connected to one electrical pole,electrically conductive spirit (2) along with the contact (13) isconnected to the other electrical pole. Over the contact (12) beingwetted in electrically conducting liquid, the current is flowing andthrough the contacts (12) in the air bubble (3) the current does notflow. In this way the beginning and the end of the air bubble (3) can beprecisely ascertained. The terminals of the wire (5,6) are connected tothe voltage and measuring instrument.

The Execution Case No. 4 is Shown Upon the FIG. 4

The housing (1) as a circular tube, curved in a ring is partially filledwith electrically conducting liquid (2). In the housing (1) upon theentire circumference the resistance is placed in the form of a wire (4)wound in spiral of which the distance between each winding is uniformlyincreasing. In the entire spiral no two lengths between the windings arethe same. The coils are placed in the direction of the tubecross-section. The first two coils are electrically separated. If thespiral (4) is connected to the voltage, the current travels a part ofits path through the electrically conducting liquid (2), but where anair bubble (3) is located the current flows only through the spiral. Thevalue of the entire system resistance can be accurately measured anddisplayed upon the screen. The terminals or the wire (5,6) are connectedto the voltage and measuring instrument

The Execution Case No. 5 is Shown Upon the FIG. 5

The housing (1) as a circular tube, curved in a ring is partially filledwith electrically conducting liquid (2). In the housing (1) upon theentire circumference the resistance is placed in the form of a wire (4)wound in spiral of which the distance between each winding is uniformlyincreasing. In the entire spiral no two lengths between the windings arethe same. The spiral is wound upon a round core (14), which is placed incircumferential axis of the ring. The voltage terminals of the wire(5,6) and are within the vicinity of the air bubble (3).

The Execution Case No. 6 is Shown Upon the FIG. 6

The housing (1) as a circular tube, curved in a ring is partially filledwith electrically conducting liquid (2). Within the housing (1), alongthe whole perimeter, resistance in the form of a metal strip (4) isplaced on the wall of the circular tube evenly changing its sectionalarea. The resistance (4) is composed of two or several layers of wirebeing put one upon each other, so that they are in touch with flatsurface where the width is uniformly changing. The thickness of thestrip is constant The strips are partially electrically separated, sothat the joining flat surfaces are insulated and the lateral edges alongthe whole thickness (15) are not insulated and are in direct contactwith the liquid. If upon the strips electrical voltage is connected, thecurrent is flowing a part of its path through electrically conductingliquid, where there is an air bubble (3) along each layer of the stripseparately. The voltage terminals of the strip are (5,6).

The housing (1) as a circular tube, curved in a ring or cylindricalvessel is exactly half filled with electrically conducting liquid (2).There is a resistor (4) within the housing (1), which is composed of 2or more round wires. The thickness, therefore the cross-area of thewires remains constant. All the wires join into one point, which thenserves as an electrical contact (5,6) and is outside the housing (1).The wires (4) are placed on the periphery of the housing (1), on thewall of the housing, parallel to each other, and mutually electricallyseparated. The resistor (4) takes up only ½ of the circumference of thehousing (1) and is divided into 2 or more segments. Each of the segmentsis separately connected to the voltage and a measuring instrument (17).The terminals of the resistor (4) are represented by (5,6).

The Execution Case No. 7 is Shown Upon the FIG. 7

The housing (1) as a circular tube, curved in a ring is partially filledwith electrically conducting liquid (2). In the housing (1) is upon thewall of tube along the whole circumference a resistor is placed in theform of a wire (4), wound in spiral, where the distance between eachwinding is uniformly increasing. The spiral (4), which includes thewhole circumference of the ring is divided in two or several mutuallyelectrically separated segments. Each segment is separately connected onthe measuring instrument. The voltage terminals or the wire are (5,6)and air bubble (3).

The housing (1) formed in from of a circular tube, curved in round ringis exactly half filled with electrically conducting liquid (2). In thehousing (1) on the wall of the tube, along the whole circumference aresistor (4) is placed in form of wire, wound in spiral, where thedistance between each winding remains constant. The distance betweencoils is the same. The spiral (4) takes up only ½ of the circumferenceof the housing (1). The resistor (4) is divided into 1, 2 or moresegments. Each of the segments is separately connected to the voltageand a measuring instrument. The electrical terminals are represented by(5,6).

The Execution Case No. 8 is Shown Upon the FIG. 8

The housing (1) as a circular tube, curved in a ring is partially filledwith electrically conducting liquid (2). The air bubble (3) is shortincluding only some angular degrees. In the housing (1) upon the wall oftube along whole circumference a resistor is placed in the form of awire (4), wound in spiral where the distance between each winding isuniformly increased. Between the first and the last winding of theresistor (4) an electrically separated resistor (16) is placed which isalso placed upon the wall of the tube and can include one or severalcoils. Both resistors (4, 16) are separately connected to the measuringinstrument When the position of inclination is such that both, thebeginning and the end of the resistor, are situated in the air bubble(3), two entirely different inclinations belong to the measured value.

Resistor (16) is also in the air bubble (3). Because the resistor isseparately connected to the measuring instrument it can be preciselyascertained which measured resistance belongs to which inclination. Theterminals or the wire (5.6) are connected to the voltage and measuringinstrument.

The Execution Case No. 9 is Shown Upon the FIG. 9

The housing (1) as a circular tube, curved in a ring is partially filledwith electrically conducting liquid (2). In the housing (1) upon thewall of the tube along the whole perimeter electric conductors (4) areplaced, composed of several layers of metal strips being put one uponanother. The strips are partially separated so that the joining surfacesare insulated , and side edges along the whole length are not insulatedThe conductors (4) are placed along the whole perimeter of the sectionalarea of the tube and are electrically separated. The conductors haveequal sectional area along its whole length. The whole circle is coveredwith coils (9), being placed close one to the other or even partiallycovering each other. The coil (9) is placed so that the axle of a coilis perpendicular to the tangent of the conductor (4). The voltageterminals of the wire (5,6) and are within the vicinity of the airbubble (3).

What is claimed is:
 1. An electrically non-conductive housing (1) of anelectronic spirit level formed of a round tube bent in a round ring ispartially or exactly ½ filled with electrically conducting liquid (2),characterized with it, that in the housing (1) upon the wall of the tubealong the whole circumference are placed two or several layers of metalstrip (4) where the cross-section uniformly changes, the layers of metalstrip (4) are put one upon the other so that in the contact of flatsurface where the width is uniformly changing, that the thickness ofmetal strip (4) is constant, the layers of metal strip (4) are partiallyelectrically separated so that the joining flat surfaces are insulated,lateral edges of the whole thickness (15) are not insulated and are indirect contact with liquid (2) and the terminal (5), (6) for voltage anda measuring instrument (17), are outside of the housing (1).
 2. Thehousing of an electronic spirit level according to claim 1,characterized with it, that in the housing (1) upon the wall of the tubealong the whole circumference, the metal strip (4) is placed and thewhole circle along the tube is divided in two or several equallyelectrically separated segments and each segment has terminals (5), (6)for voltage and the measuring instrument (17).